Express Coaches
There are many types of express coaches used for fast trains on the Main Line of the North Western Railway. Green Coaches Bio These coaches have appeared since the first season and are primarily used for the express. Between the thirteenth and sixteenth seasons, the green express coaches seemed to be exclusive to Gordon as he was the only engine ever seen pulling them. Since the seventeenth season, however, other engines have occasionally been seen pulling them again. In the first and second seasons, the express coaches had the ability to talk, despite not having visible faces. Basis The coaches have had several basis' in the model series, such as the SR Maunsell coaches, LNER Gresley Teak coaches, GWR Suburban coaches and BR Mk1 Coaches. Since the CGI series, the coaches are a freelance design being much taller and thinner compared to the previous ones. They feature bay windows on both sides, doors between each window and lack a corridor. Livery These coaches are dark green with white/cream windows. From the sixth season onwards, all the coaches have cream windows and they have a yellow stripe running down the sides. Merchandise * Bachmann (discontinued) * Hornby * Motor Road and Rail (with Gordon; discontinued outside Asia) * Departing Now (discontinued) * TrackMaster * My First Thomas * Tomica * Wind-up Trains * Pocket Fantasy (discontinued) * Boss (with Edward; discontinued) * Waku Waku (with Gordon; discontinued) Gallery File:ThomasandGordon80.png|Express coaches at Knapford File:JamesandtheCoaches12.png|Express coaches at Dryaw File:JamesandtheExpress33.png|Express coaches as seen in the first season pulled by James File:TheFlyingKipper50.png|Green express carriages being pulled through Elsbridge File:WhistlesandSneezes26.png|Express coaches with broken windows File:Cows39.png|Gordon pulling green express coaches in the second season File:Bertie'sChase26.png File:TheTroublewithMud21.png File:TimeforTrouble14.png|The green express coaches in the third season File:GordonandtheFamousVisitor31.png File:NoJokeforJames2.png File:BowledOut10.png|The green express coaches in the fourth season File:ByeGeorge!79.png|Gordon with the green express coaches in the fifth season File:HauntedHenry40.png|One of the green express coaches being pulled at night File:NoSleepforCranky76.png|The green express coaches in the sixth season File:BestDressedEngine31.png|The green express coaches in the seventh season File:AsGoodasGordon24.png|Emily pulling express coaches in the eighth season File:RespectforGordon4.png|The green express coaches in the ninth season File:BigStrongHenry2.png|The green express coaches in the tenth season File:GordonandtheEngineer19.png|The green express coaches in the eleventh season File:Toby'sNewWhistle28.png|An express coach in CGI File:ThomasandScruff46.png|The green express coaches in the fourteenth season File:FlashBangWallop!2.png File:SteamieStafford47.png|Edward pulling express coaches File:GordonRunsDry14.png File:Toad'sAdventure55.png|Thomas pulling express coaches in the eighteenth season File:SamsonatYourService41.png File:SamsonatYourService79.png|The coaches in the Blue Mountain Quarry File:TheAdventureBegins55.png File:LostProperty88.png File:LostProperty109.png|Interior of an express coach in CGI File:HenryGetsTheExpress20.png|Henry pulling the express coaches in the twentieth season File:TheTrainShedPark14.jpg|Some green express coaches at The Train Shed File:TheTrainShedPark10.jpg File:ExpressCoachDraytonManor.JPG|A green express coach at Drayton Manor File:DraytonManorThomasExpress.jpeg File:ThomasPullingExpress.jpg File:SRMaunsellCoach.jpg|An SR Maunsell Coach in real-life File:LNERGresleyTeak.jpg|An LNER Gresley Teak Coach in real-life File:GWRSuburbanCoaches.jpg|GWR Suburban Coaches in real-life File:BRMk1Coach.jpg|A BR Mk1 Coach in real-life Merchandise Gallery File:MyFirstThomasexpresscoach.jpg|My First Thomas File:Bachmannexpresscoach.jpg|Bachmann green composite coach File:Bachmannexpressbrakecoach.jpg|Bachmann green brake coach File:HornbyGordon'scompositecoach.jpg|Hornby green composite coach File:HornbyGordon'sbrakecoach.jpg|Hornby green brake coach File:PlarailGordon.jpg|TOMY Gordon with express coach File:TOMYTrackMasterGordon2007.jpg|TrackMaster Gordon (2007) File:2015TOMYGordon.jpg|Plarail 2015 Gordon with express coach File:PlarailTalkingHenry.jpg|Plarail talking Henry File:TomicaGordon.jpg|Tomica Gordon with green coaches File:Wind-upExpressCoach.jpg|Wind-up File:ExpressCoachWakuWaku.png|Waku Waku Red Coaches Bio The red coaches did not appear until the second season and are generally used for other fast trains, but occasionally used for the express. In the third season, Duck commonly pulled them on the Little Western. They were absent between Season 12 and Season 20. Some red express coaches are owned by the Other Railway and are pulled by the Flying Scotsman. Basis The coaches have had several basis' in the model series, such as the SR Maunsell coaches, LNER Gresley Teak coaches, GWR Suburban coaches and BR Mk1 Coaches. Since the CGI series, the coaches are of the same freelance design as the green coaches, being much taller and thinner compared to the previous ones. They feature bay windows on both sides, doors between each window and lack a corridor. Livery Between the second and fourth seasons, the coaches were dark red with white windows. From the fifth season onwards, the windows were cream and they have a yellow stripe running down the sides. Merchandise * ERTL * Wooden Railway (discontinued) * Motor Road and Rail (Asia only) * Thomas Engine Collection Series (with sound effects; discontinued) * Departing Now * Tomica * Capsule Plarail * Pocket Fantasy (Discontinued) * Tomix * De Agostini (discontinued) * Bachmann (discontinued) * Hornby * Nakayoshi (discontinued) * Boss (with James; discontinued) * Choro-Q (with James) * LEGO (discontinued) Gallery File:Cows8.png|Pulled by Henry in the second season Cows51.png File:RedExpressCoaches.png File:Percy'sPromise2.png File:TimeforTrouble1.PNG File:GordonandtheFamousVisitor77.jpeg File:ABadDayForSirHandel33.png File:ABetterViewforGordon28.png File:JamesandtheRedBalloon15.png File:JamesandtheRedBalloon63.png File:ThomasGetsItRight62.png File:TooHotForThomas19.png File:Toby'sAfternoonOff63.png File:Toby'sAfternoonOff73.png File:EmilyandtheSpecialCoaches1.png File:TheWaterWheel1.png File:TheGreatRace25.png|A red express coach in CGI File:SidneySings72.PNG|Sidney pulling the red express coaches File:ExpressCoachesERTLPromo.jpg File:RedExpressCoachesDraytonManor.jpg|Two red express coaches at Drayton Manor File:EdwardDraytonManor.png|Edward with the Red Express Coaches at Drayton Manor File:RedExpressCoachesHaraModelRailway.jpg|Red Express Coaches' Models at the Hara Model Railway Museum in Japan File:TheNeneValleyRailway's"Thomas".jpg|The Nene Valley Railway's "Thomas" pulling red express coaches Merchandise Gallery File:ERTLExpressCoaches.jpg|ERTL File:WoodenRailwayKnapfordExpressCoach.jpg File:WoodenRailwayExpressCoaches.jpg|Wooden Railway File:WoodenRailwayFirstEditionKnapfordExpressCoach.png|Wooden Railway (original) File:WoodenRailwayKnapfordExpressCoachSecondEdition.jpg File:WoodenKnapfordExpressCoachThirdEdition.jpg File:Thomas,PercyandtheDragonandOtherStoriesDVDwithWoodenRailwayExpressCoach.png|Wooden Railway with DVD File:TomixRedExpressCoach.jpg|Red Tomix express coach File:DeAgostiniExpressCoach.jpg|De Agostini File:BachmannExpressCoach.jpg|Bachmann red composite coach File:BachmannExpressBrakeCoach.jpg|Bachmann red brake coach File:HornbyJamesPassengerTrainSet.png|Hornby red express coaches in a set with James File:TomicaHenry.jpg|Tomica Henry with red coaches File:ChoroQJamesExpressSet.jpg|Choro-Q James with red express coaches File:LEGOExpressCoach.png|LEGO Duplo File:Wind-upRedExpressCoach.jpg|Wind-up File:Wind-upRedCoach.jpg Railway Series Coaches Bio Express coaches form the fast and important passenger trains and are normally pulled by Gordon, James, or Henry. Several of these coaches form the express, known as the "Wild Nor' Wester" - usually pulled by Gordon, although Henry, James, and Bear take the train when Gordon is busy - other coaches form the "Limited", which was pulled by Bear in Enterprising Engines. D261 was supposed to pull the express in Bowled Out, but he broke down so Duck and Stepney pulled it. Basis These coaches are based on SR Maunsell Stock, LNER Gresley and GWR suburban with added corridor sections onto the ends of the coaches and the larger windows of corridors stock on the far sides. Occasionally, British Railways Mark 1 and 2 coaches could be seen as well. Livery The coaches were primarily painted yellow-orange until circa 1984, when they were repainted brown with a yellow stripe. There were some blue and white coaches. Merchandise Gallery File:Plarail2013TalkingJames.jpg|Plarail 2013 talking James with blue express coach File:PlarailTalkingGordon.jpg|Plarail Talking Gordon with brown express coach File:TomicaBlueExpressCoach.jpg|Tomica blue express coach File:Wind-upTanExpressCoach.jpg|Wind-up Tan express coach File:Wind-upBlueCoach.jpg|Wind-up Blue express coach File:Wind-upOrangeCoach.jpg|Wind-up Orange express coach The Royal Train The Royal Train was the train that transported Queen Elizabeth II in Paint Pots and Queens. Henry was supposed to pull it, but after an accident with some paint cans, Gordon was given the job. In both the Railway Series and the television series, it was made up of blood and custard express coaches. Another Royal Carriage appeared in the magazine story, The Royal Carriage. This carriage is painted brown with red flags and a crown on its roof. Inside it has some comfortable chairs and a royal blue carpet. It is on display at the Sodor Museum. Trivia * The coach in the magazine somewhat has Henrietta's shape. Gallery File:PaintPotsandQueensRS6.PNG|Railway Series File:PaintPotsandQueens60.jpg|Television series File:Theroyalcoachannual.jpg|Magazine The Dining Coach The Dining Coach, also known as The Buffet Car, is often added to the express so that people can have something to eat on their journey. It has a bar, serving area, pantry, and tables. In the television series, the coach is painted green with custard-yellow window surrounds. Henry once bumped this coach, making its contents fly everywhere. In the magazines, the Buffet Car is painted yellow-orange and has yellow stripes. Gallery File:ByeGeorge!64.png|Inside the dining coach File:ByeGeorge!65.png File:HenryAndTheWishingTree52.png|Inside the kitchen File:HenryAndTheWishingTree50.png|Henry and the dining coach File:HenryAndTheWishingTree51.png File:ExpressComingThrough59.png File:Toad'sAdventure57.png|Dowager Hatt and Sir Topham Hatt inside the dining coach Other Coaches Four grey coaches with an orange stripe appeared in Thomas and the Big, Big Bridge. A white express coach with orange lining was seen in the 2006 magazine story, Splendid Sight. Gallery File:ThomasandtheBig,BigBridge8.png|Grey express coaches File:WhiteExpressCoach.png|White express coach Voice Actors * Shinobu Satouchi, Kōzō Shioya, Yasunori Masutani, Toshio Kobayashi and Yasuhiro Takato (Japan) Trivia * In the magazine story, Airship, Gordon's express carriages are once referred to as "Pullman Coaches". * One of the express coaches models are currently on display; three red and two green at Drayton Manor and two red at the Hara Model Railway Museum in Japan. See also * Category:Images of Express Coaches Category:Rolling stock Category:North Western Railway Category:Coaches Category:The Main Line Category:Other railways Category:The Little Western Category:The Mainland